Is Your Shop the Problem? Hard Truths from the Voice of the Technician Survey Results [RR 1084]

Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Watch Full Video Episode Host Carm Capriotto speaks with Jay Goninen, co-founder and president of WrenchWay, about insights from the 2026 Voice of the Technician Survey and what it reveals about the state of the automotive workforce. Jay encourages shop owners to download the free report to uncover blind spots and start meaningful conversations with their teams. The data show that technicians strongly prefer a four-day, 10-hour workweek with no weekends, along with proper equipment, paid vacation, retirement benefits, and paid training. While dealership technicians made up a larger share of respondents, independents stood out in workplace culture. 63% of independent technicians would recommend their shop to a friend, compared to 36% at dealerships, though dealerships scored higher in providing paid training. Across both groups, technicians favor an hourly wage plus bonus structure, which many feel better supports diagnosticians than traditional flat-rate systems. The discussion also highlights a troubling trend: the industry’s Net Promoter Score dropped to -60 in 2026, signaling that many technicians would not recommend the profession to others. To strengthen the talent pipeline, Jay discusses ASE Connects, a new initiative aimed at connecting shops with high school and technical school automotive programs to support them through mentorship, advisory roles, and community engagement. Carm also advocates elevating the profession by shifting the language from “mechanic” or “technician” to “specialist,” emphasizing the expertise required to work on today’s vehicles. Overall, the episode serves as a wake-up call for shop owners to use the survey insights to evaluate their culture, communication, and work environments, and to become employers technicians are proud to recommend. Jay Goninen, Co-Founder and President, WrenchWay Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Learn more about NAPA Auto Care and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at Connect with the Podcast: - Follow on Facebook: - Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: - Join Our Private Facebook Community: -

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Is Your Shop the Problem? Hard Truths from the Voice of the Technician Survey Results [RR 1084] is an episode from Remarkable Results Radio Podcast by Carm Capriotto, AAP.

This episode is 47:06 long.

This episode was published on Mar 24, 2026.

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